UNITED NATIONS PEACE-KEEPING FORCE IN CYPRUS

HEADQUARTERS: Nicosia

DURATION: March 1964 to present

CURRENT STRENGTH: 1,171 troops and support personnel, and 35 civilian police

FATALITIES: 163

SPECIAL REPRESENTATIVE OF THE SECRETARY-GENERAL AND CHIEF OF MISSION: Mr. Joe Clark (Canada)

FORCE COMMANDER: Brigadier General Ahti Toimi Paavali Vartiainen (Finland)

BACKGROUND

Cyprus became independent on 16 August 1960 with a Constitution that was intended to balance the interests of the island's Greek Cypriot and Turkish Cypriot communities. A treaty of August 1960, entered into by Cyprus, Greece, Turkey and the United Kingdom, guaranteed the basic provisions of the Constitution and the territorial integrity and sovereignty of Cyprus.

The application of the provisions of the Constitution, however, encountered difficulties from the very beginning and led to a succession of constitutional crises. The accumulated tension between the two communities resulted in the outbreak of violence on the island on 21 December 1963.

On 27 December, the United Nations Security Council met to consider a complaint by Cyprus charging intervention in its internal affairs and aggression by Turkey. Turkey maintained that Greek Cypriot leaders had tried for more than two years to nullify the rights of the Turkish Cypriot community and denied all charges of aggression.

ESTABLISHMENT OF UNFICYP

On 15 February 1964, after all attempts to restore peace on the island had failed, the representatives of the United Kingdom and of Cyprus requested urgent action by the Security Council. On 4 March 1964, the Council unanimously adopted resolution 186 (1964), by which it recommended the establishment of the United Nations Peace-keeping Force in Cyprus (UNFICYP) with a mandate to use its best efforts to prevent a recurrence of fighting, and, as necessary, to contribute to the maintenance and restoration of law and order and a return to normal conditions. Since then, the Council has periodically extended UNFICYP's mandate, usually for periods of six months at a time.

MAINTENANCE OF CEASE-FIRE AND MILITARY STATUS QUO

In connection with the hostilities in July and August 1974, the Security Council adopted a number of resolutions which have affected the functioning of UNFICYP and have required the Force to perform certain additional functions relating, in particular, to the maintenance of the cease-fire.

Following a de facto cease-fire, which came into effect on 16 August 1974, UNFICYP inspected the deployment of the Cyprus National Guard and the Turkish and Turkish Cypriot forces, and cease-fire lines and a buffer zone were established between the areas controlled by the opposing forces. The cease-fire lines extend approximately 180 kilometres across the island. The buffer zone between the lines varies in width from less than 20 metres to some 7 kilometres, and it covers about 3 per cent of the island, including some of the most valuable agricultural land.

Strict adherence to the military status quo in the buffer zone, as recorded by UNFICYP at the time, has become a vital element in preventing a recurrence of fighting. UNFICYP maintains surveillance through a system of 151 observation posts, and through air, vehicle and foot patrols. The Force maintains a patrol track, which runs the length of the buffer zone and is used for surveillance, monitoring of agricultural activities, resupply of observation posts and rapid reaction to incidents.

The task of UNFICYP is significantly complicated by the absence of a formal cease-fire agreement. As a result, UNFICYP is confronted with hundreds of incidents each year. The most serious incidents tend to occur in areas where the cease-fire lines are in close proximity, particularly in Nicosia and its suburbs. The Force investigates and acts upon all violations of the cease-fire and the military status quo. Its reaction in each case depends on the nature of the incident and may include the deployment of troops, verbal and written protests and follow-up action to ensure that the violation has been rectified or will not recur. In addition to maintaining the military status quo, UNFICYP must also preserve the integrity of the buffer zone from unauthorized entry or activities by civilians. As a result, UNFICYP has from time to time become involved in crowd control.

HUMANITARIAN ACTIVITIES

Another major function entrusted to UNFICYP is to encourage the fullest possible resumption of normal civilian activity in the buffer zone. To this end, it facilitates the resumption of farming in the buffer zone; assists both communities on matters related to the supply of electricity and water across the lines; endeavours to facilitate normal contacts between Greek and Turkish Cypriots; facilitates provision of emergency medical services; and facilitates delivery of mail across the lines. UNFICYP visits Greek Cypriots and the small Maronite community living in the northern part of the island. It also visits Turkish Cypriots living in the southern part. UNFICYP also cooperates with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees in providing relief assistance.

RESTRUCTURING OF UNFICYP

Until recently, UNFICYP was the only United Nations peace-keeping operation not financed from assessed contributions by States Members of the Organization. In accordance with Security Council resolution 186 (1964), the costs of the Force were met by the Governments providing the military contingents and by voluntary contributions received for this purpose by the United Nations. In addition, the Government of Cyprus provided, at no cost, areas for the headquarters, camps and other premises of UNFICYP.

Under those arrangements, the troop-contributing Governments made available to the United Nations troops whose regular pay and allowances and normal mat,riel expenses they had agreed to pay themselves. The United Nations was responsible for the operational costs for administrative and logistic support (e.g., rations, fuel, hire of vehicles, maintenance of premises, salaries and travel of non-military personnel) and for extra and extraordinary costs incurred by the troop-contributing Governments for which they sought reimbursement on the basis of separate agreements concluded by the United Nations with each of those Governments. These costs could be paid only from the voluntary contributions received for this purpose. Voluntary contributions, however, had consistently fallen short of the required funds, leaving the Special Account for UNFICYP with a total deficit of approximately $200 million for the period from the inception of the Force to June 1993. As a result, reimbursement claims from the troop-contributing countries were paid only up to December 1981.

The Secretary-General repeatedly voiced his profound concern about the worsening financial situation confronting UNFICYP. He suggested that the Force should be put on a sound and secure financial basis and that the best way to finance UNFICYP would be for its costs to be met from assessed contributions.

Due to the deteriorating financial situation of the Force and frustration over the lack of progress towards a lasting political solution to the Cyprus problem, a number of troop-contributing Governments decided, in 1992, to reconsider their participation in UNFICYP. In his May 1992 report on UNFICYP activities, the Secretary-General spoke of the need to consult with the troop-contributing countries on their intentions on participation in the Force, including the timing of any reductions or withdrawals of their contingents, and on the possible future options for UNFICYP. On 21 September, the Secretary-General informed the Council that the troop-contributing Governments had given firm indications of their intention to reduce "the operational commitment" of their contingents, and he outlined a plan for a possible restructuring of UNFICYP.

In December 1992, the size of the Force was significantly reduced by the withdrawal of the Danish battalion (323 personnel) and reductions in the British, Austrian and Canadian contingents of 198, 63 and 61 personnel, respectively. This reduced UNFICYP's strength by approximately 28 per cent.

In his 30 March 1993 report, the Secretary-General stated that these reductions necessitated a major restructuring and reorganization of UNFICYP. The required operational and organizational adjustments had been put in place on 16 December 1992. He went on to say that further withdrawals announced by Canada and the United Kingdom would reduce the Force's strength from 1,513 to approximately 850 personnel and, unless the situation was redressed, UNFICYP would cease to be viable in June 1993. The Secretary-General presented his proposals for a further restructuring of the Force, stressing that they would be practical only if the Security Council changed the financing of UNFICYP from voluntary to assessed contributions.

In its resolution 831 (1993) of 27 May 1993, the Security Council decided that those costs of the Force which were not covered by voluntary contributions should be treated as expenses of the Organization, effective from the next extension of the Force's mandate on or before 15 June 1993 (see Financial aspects, below).

The Council also decided that UNFICYP should be restructured to a strength of three infantry battalions of approximately 350 personnel each, the minimum number required to maintain effective control of the buffer zone. A limited number of military observers were recently added to UNFICYP for reconnaissance, liaison and humanitarian tasks.

As a result of reductions, the Force now covers the cease-fire lines more thinly than before. Its capacity to react to incidents and to prevent them from escalating has been affected. At the same time, the mandate of UNFICYP has remained unchanged, as essentially have the functions deriving from that mandate. The restructured UNFICYP continues to interpose itself between the Greek Cypriot and the Turkish Cypriot forces and to supervise the cease-fire lines that define the buffer zone, by observing and reporting any violations of the cease-fire and the military status quo.

For operational purposes, the Force is divided into three sectors and six line companies. In June 1993, the Canadian battalion was withdrawn, as scheduled. As a result, between June and September 1993, the Force's strength temporarily dipped below 1,000 and the Force Commander implemented an emergency contingency plan reorganizing UNFICYP in two sectors, covered by the Austrian and United Kingdom battalions. However, this did not last long; the decision of the Security Council to change the system of financing of the Force was followed by an offer by the Government of Argentina of a line battalion of some 350 personnel. The Force deployment was thus restored, as of 8 October 1993, to three line sectors/battalions as recommended by the Secretary-General and endorsed by Security Council resolution 831 (1993).

To offset the reductions in strength, the Force Commander has adjusted the organization of UNFICYP by moving a greater portion of the battalions' strength into the buffer zone and reorganizing the system of observation posts, relying more heavily on mobile patrolling. He also began a process of handing over certain humanitarian activities of the Force to the two sides.

In his 7 June 1994 report to the Security Council on the activities of UNFICYP, the Secretary-General stated that the continued presence of the Force remained indispensable to maintain peace on the island and ensure a climate conducive to successful peacemaking. He recommended that the Council extend the mandate of UNFICYP until the end of 1994.

The Security Council, by its resolution 927 (1994) of 15 June 1994, decided to extend the mandate of the Force for a further period ending on 31 December 1994.1/

COMPOSITION OF UNFICYP

The current strength of UNFICYP is 1,171 military personnel (compared with 2,040 in November 1992) and 35 civilian police. They are provided by the following countries (figures as at 30 November 1994):

COUNTRY, POLICE, TROOPS

• Argentina, , 392
• Australia, 20,
• Austria, , 346
• Canada, , 10
• Finland, , 2
• Ireland, 15, 25
• United Kingdom, , 396

Figures may vary from month to month due to rotation. "Troops" include any infantry, logistics, engineering, medical, move-con, staff, etc.

There were also a 359 civilian staff, 41 of whom were internationally and 318 locally recruited.

FINANCIAL ASPECTS

By its resolution 47/236 of 14 September 1993, the United Nations General Assembly decided that for the period beginning 16 June 1993 the costs of the Force not covered by voluntary contributions should be treated as expenses of the Organization to be borne by Member States in accordance with Article 17 of the United Nations Charter.

The rough cost of UNFICYP in 1994 was approximately $43.9 million. With effect from 16 June 1993, the financing of the Force consists of voluntary contributions of $6.5 million annually from the Government of Greece and one third of its cost from the Government of Cyprus. Thus, only some $23 million a year is financed from contributions assessed on the entire membership of the United Nations.

By resolution 48/244 of 10 May 1994, the General Assembly, inter alia, requested the Secretary-General to continue his efforts in appealing for voluntary contributions to the account established for UNFICYP prior to 16 June 1993, when the Force was financed entirely by voluntary contributions. An accumulated shortfall of approximately $200 million remains unreimbursed to troop contributors for that period.

SECRETARY-GENERAL'S MISSION OF GOOD OFFICES

The United Nations Secretary-General began his good offices functions in Cyprus in 1964. Since 1966, the Secretary-General's Special Representatives have been actively involved in promoting an agreed overall settlement. After the events of 1974, the Security Council, in its resolution 367 (1975) of 12 March 1975, requested the Secretary-General to undertake a new mission of good offices. Since then, the successive Secretaries-General and their Special Representatives have been trying to find a formula acceptable to both the Greek Cypriots and the Turkish Cypriots.

NOTE

1/ In his further report on UNFICYP dated 12 December 1994, the Secretary-General recommended that the Security Council extend the mandate of the Force for a further six-month period. He stated that UNFICYP had continued to carry out its functions in Cyprus effectively, with the cooperation of both sides, and the situation remained generally quiet, but subject to sudden tensions, generated by events outside as well as within Cyprus. He also stated that the excessive level of armaments and forces in Cyprus and the rate at which they were being strengthened were a cause of concern.

On 21 December, the Security Council, by its resolution 969 (1994), extended the mandate of UNFICYP until 30 June 1995. The Council expressed its concern that there had been no progress towards a final political solution of the conflict in Cyprus, and urged the leaders of both communities to promote tolerance and reconciliation between the two communities. Return to Text

Note: Data effective 30 November 1994

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